Surging lightweight contender, Arman Tsarukyan has claimed he was open to a catchweight fight with Justin Gaethje in a bid to save the UFC 313 co-main event next weekend, before being shot down by promotional officials.
Tsarukyan, the current number one ranked lightweight challenger, was forced to withdraw from UFC 311 at the beginning of the year — seeing his first shot at the divisional crown halted due to a back injury.
And seeing a rematch clash with pound-for-pound number one, Islam Makhachev fall to the way side just the day before the California card, Tsarukyan has been urged to return to the drawing board and secure a title eliminator fight before competing for gold for the first time.